Northview Takes On Bay, May Lose Star Neiko Robinson Next Game (With Photo Gallery)

August 25, 2012

The varsity 1A Northview Chiefs tied the 5A Panama City Bay Tornadoes 7-7 Friday night in Bratt, but the Chiefs may have lost Penn State recruit Neiko Robinson for the first game of the regular season. The JV Chiefs lost 7-0 in one quarter of play.

Robinson, a senior transfer from the Flomaton Huricanes, was ejected in the fourth quarter after  an overturned interception led to a brief scuffle allegedly involving Robinson. The incident started after officials flagged Neino Robinson, Neiko’s younger brother, for pass interference on the play. The incident will be reviewed next week by the Florida High School Athletic Association to determine if the preseason scuffle will lead to a suspension.

The play led to Bay’s go-ahead touchdown.

Coach Sid Wheatley said he did not see the incident  but he was told that the officials said it was retaliation. Neiko was already under the weather before being ejected, possibly suffering from strep throat.

For 100 photos of game action, NHS cheerleaders, band and dance team, click here.

The preseason game was planned to be a matchup of reserves in the first quarter, but Bay played mostly starters. The first was to be followed by three quarters of varsity play. PC Bay was up 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

With 2:30 to go in the second, LaMikal Kyles flipped and tripped on a tackle attempt, but he did not go down, making his way in for the final yards for a Chiefs touchdown. A good kick from Kevin Vaughan, and it was tied 7-7.

Wheatley said his  Chiefs, ranked third in the state, played good defense in the second and third quarters, but faltered in the third as Bay drove the ball almost the length of the field before punching it in.

“They made the big drive,” Wheatley said. “We didn’t make the stop, and that kind of determined the game.”

And the Chiefs were also plagued by a seemingly endless series of penalties during the game.

“We’ve got to learn from what we did tonight,” Wheatley said.  “We’ve got to see all the mistakes…all the undisciplined play. That was very disappointing to me.”

“We’ve got to be able to close. We’ve got to be the team that finishes it off in the fourth quarter”

On the upside of the loss, the head coach said he was pleased with new starting quarterback Vaughan.

“When you can get a guy on the edge who puts the defense in a bind whether to come up and play this guy or back off, and if you back off, he’s going to get some yards,” Wheatley said. “I thought he played real well.”

Wheatley also acknowledged good play from senior  Corry Baggett at linebacker, Stetson Nash who “has really come along on the defensive front for us”, Brandon Freeman at outside linebacker, and the play of backup quarterback Daulton Tullis.

The Northview Chiefs will open the regular season next Friday night against John Paul Catholic at 7 p.m.

For 100 photos of game action, NHS cheerleaders, band and dance team, click here.

Pictured top: Senior Neiko Robinson picks up yardage for the Northview Chiefs Friday night against Panama City Bay.  Pictured top inset: LaMikal Kyles on gain for NHS. Pictured bottom inset: Backup Northview QB Daulton Tullis, a junor. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

2 Responses to “Northview Takes On Bay, May Lose Star Neiko Robinson Next Game (With Photo Gallery)”

  1. William on August 26th, 2012 9:28 pm

    >>I am curious to the score, kids went and told me it was 14-7 and then I read the same on NE but now says a tie, which Is correct??

    The scoreboard was 14-7 at the end. But technically, the first quarter was just JV/reserves and NHS lost 7-0. Quarters 2-4 were varsity, and those quarters were 7-7. This was because of it being a preseason classic.

  2. Jen on August 26th, 2012 9:25 pm

    I am curious to the score, kids went and told me it was 14-7 and then I read the same on NE but now says a tie, which Is correct??

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